Duffy told Fox News host Martha MacCallum "And my concern, Martha, is what the hell are we investigating?"
MADISON - As Attorney General Jeff Sessions begins to testify to rebut the testimony of former FBI Director James Comey, Rep. Sean Duffy doesn't seem to know what the Department of Justice is investigating in the first place.
During an interview with Fox News, Rep. Sean Duffy told host Martha MacCallum "And my concern, Martha, is what the hell are we investigating?" In the same interview, Duffy also asked, “Why are we going through this charade of an investigation when there’s no evidence that Donald Trump had anything to do with the Russians?”
Contrary to Duffy's parroting of Republican talking points many questions still remain regarding the relationship of Donald Trump, his known associates, and the Russians.
Here's a refresher for the Congressman:
- The intelligence community is in unanimous agreement that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.
- We know there are ongoing investigations into the Russian contacts of at least 5 top Trump associates -- Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, Michael Cohen, and Carter Page.
- Carter Page was Trump’s foreign policy advisor who resigned after it was discovered that he was in contact with Russian officials under U.S. sanction including the Russian official suspected to run intelligence on U.S. elections.
- Paul Manafort, Trump’s second campaign manager, stepped away from his official roles on the campaign when his Russia ties were drawing the gaze of the FBI.
- Michael Flynn was dismissed this year after the administration was exposed for lying about his conversations undermining sanctions with the Russian ambassador while Obama was still in office.
- Trump pushed Comey to “let Flynn go” in Oval Office conversation after asking Sessions and Pence to leave the room.
- After Comey’s March 20th testimony, Trump asked Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and CIA Director Mike Pompeo to publicly state that there is no evidence of collusion between Trump Team and Russia, and White House staff inquire about getting intelligence officials to shut down the FBI’s Russia investigation
- After firing James Comey, Trump told Russian Foreign Minister and Ambassador that firing Comey eased the pressure of Russia investigation; Sec. of State Tillerson informs them that U.S. will no longer demand concession for returning properties seized by U.S. as part of 2016 election sanctions.
- Trump also admitted to Lester Holt that he was thinking of the "Russia thing" when he decided to fire Comey
- In James Comey's June 8th testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, the former FBI Director confirmed under oath that Trump told at least four lies, often multiple times, to Americans about his interactions with Comey.
"Rep. Sean Duffy has been an apologist for Donald Trump from the very start, but his latest act of willful ignorance is a pathetic display of a politician putting his party before his country," Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesman Brandon Weathersby said on Tuesday. "Each development we learn about Trump's ties Russia only proves that we still need an independent, 9-11 style commission. It's time for Rep. Sean Duffy and his Republican colleagues to join Democrats in calling for an independent commission to give the American people the answers they deserve." |